chance; and that total oblivion will be the end of all intellectual existence. The variety of intermediate modifications by which these opinions are recommended to public notice, is infinite: Alike indefinite and absurd, they depend on the whim of the moment, on the temper, the art, or the passions, of the person who is pleased to conceive and to divulge them. By some, the Deity

is represented as corporeal; by others, as a mixture of matter and spirit; by others, as a nice chrystallization; by others, as a pure spirit, and by others as nothing at all,—the creature entirely of a disordered intellect and a superstitious imagination. O lamentable state of corrupted nature! O matchless impudence of puny mortals! The most wretched superstition which ever obtained in any nation, which ever disgraced the human understanding, or shackled the powers of human reason, is infinitely preferable, in fact and in effect, to this indefinite and detestable farrago.

"Reason, used as the humble handmaid of religion, and as the mistress of science, is useful, is distinguished: Exalted by human pride as a judge over the universe, and its omnipotent Creator, it degenerates into the curse of human life, the bane of human virtue; and, consequently, the destroyer of social and individual happiness. Urged by a restless and dissatisfied spirit, supported by pride, on the one hand, and followed by vics,

on the other, it swerves by little and little, from less to greater, from better to worse, till universal scepticism, vice, and confusion, are the sad consequences. Here a position is modestly assumed for the sake of argument; there it is confidently referred to as proof; and deductions, of the most alarming kind, are artfully made from what never was, and never can be proved. It is no wonder that the pious Christian laments and deprecates the progress of such reasoning; that he sighs over the depravity it produces; and that he fervently wishes that such daring blasphemies, and dangerous deceits, had been withheld from public inspection, even by death. He knows, that, by uniform obedience to the duties of Christianity, he shall enjoy as much happiness as this world. can possibly afford; and, even should his faith turn out to be vain, that his situation in the next will at least be equal to that of the haughty infidel. But, on the contrary supposition (which is so much more probable, which is certain) that Christianity is true, the infidels case can hardly be expected to be parallel. In this world, he can neither enjoy the tranquillity nor the hope of the Christian; because, in this world, its pleasures and its profits are his all. His situation, in the next, if he expects or believes a future life, must be uncertain and obscure. God is merciful, but he is also just. This world is our state of probation, in which He

chance; and that total oblivion will be end of all intellectual existence. The riety of intermediate modifications by these opinions are recommended to notice, is infinite: Alike indefinite a surd, they depend on the whim of t ment, on the temper, the art, or the T of the person who is pleased to ‹ and to divulge them. By some, t is represented as corporeal; by otl mixture of matter and spirit; by o nice chrystallization; by others, spirit, and by others as nothing a creature entirely of a disordered and a superstitious imagination. able state of corrupted nature! less impudence of puny mortals wretched superstition which ev in any nation, which ever di human understanding, or shack ers of human reason, is infinitel in fact and in effect, to this in detestable farrago.

66 Reason, used as the humb of religion, and as the mistress useful, is distinguished: Exalte pride as a judge over the unive omnipotent Creator, it degenera curse of human life, the bane of tue; and, consequently, the dest cial and individual happiness. I restless and dissatisfied spirit, sup pride, on the one hand, and follow

displays most amply his long-suffering, mercy, and condescension. The next opens a different scene, and will be the state of reward and punishment. What the Deity has condescended to promise, they who shall attend to the conditions, will most certainly re ceive. What He has thought proper to threaten, though He may seem to delay the execution of it, He will also with equal certainty perform. These reflections, and the fears which they suggest, the infidel will doubtless sneer at, as narrow-minded and chimerical; but, though serious, I consider them as salutary; and I lament and wonder that they do not sometimes affect the minds, and appear in the reasonings, of the opponents of Christianity. An unjust fear of prejudice may lead to error; an over eager desire to appear courageous, and to acquire the envied fame of heroism, may end in foolhardiness, infamy and ruin. A wise man, when he has the choice, will certainly never resign certainty for hope, or hazard the loss cf all a wise man ought to hold dear, at a single throw. In any view that can be taken of the subject, the infidel can finally gain nothing, and he may actually lose his all. The system or systems of reason he pretends to follow,-and which he so keenly recommends to others, as far as they can be judged from their own nature, or their general effects on those who are guided by them,-appear to be calculated, by under